1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to insoles which may be inserted into shoes or boots to provide enhanced foot support and comfort. More particularly, the invention pertains to an insole support system in which arch support is provided in the medial, lateral, and metatarsal regions of the foot, and lateral and rear support is provided in the heel region of the foot. Four different insole designs are disclosed, each sharing common structural features but displaying varying degrees of support in the medial arch region to accommodate a range of different degrees of medial arches.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In structure and function, the foot is one of the most complex features of the human anatomy. It consists of twenty-six bones, thirty-three joints, one hundred and twelve ligaments, three arches, four layers of tissue on the sole of the foot, and twenty intrinsic muscles. As those involved in sports or challenging physical activity can attest, the ligaments in the foot are the most likely to be the subject of painful sprains. In order effectively to eliminate foot and leg ailments, solid support and in some cases corrective positioning of the three foot arches are required.
The three foot arches, including the medial arch, the lateral arch, and the metatarsal arch, are upwardly extending arcuate portions of the foot which form voids in the foot bed. Unless a person is flat footed, these voids exist to varying degrees in each person's feet, thereby requiring a different extent of support to fill the voids properly. A firm, yet resilient support, including corrective positioning for the foot arches, is required to help distribute weight and foot motion more evenly across the foot bed. It is well recognized that proper support for a person's feet will provide enhanced comfort and health throughout the entire body.
While it is commonly believed that the insole with the most cushion and softness is the best, such insoles have proven less than ideal in several aspects. The open-cell foam material from which most insoles are made lacks the strength and firmness to provide the necessary foot support. Thus, inexpensive and low quality cushioning insoles only offer temporary relief rather than a long-term solution for foot discomfort.
On the opposite end of spectrum from the very soft foam insoles, are custom orthopedic supports made by podiatrists particularly for individual patients. These orthopedic supports are typically made from a hard, inflexible, thermal plastic material. In structure, they are shorter in length than the patient's entire foot, provide a hard heel support area and a high medial arch area. However, they do not extend past the forward metatarsal area, and offer little to no lateral support for equalizing balance. Since they are custom made, orthopedic supports are quite expensive, and can only be afforded by a small percentage of the population which needs proper foot support. Moreover, owing to the hard and rigid nature of the plastic material from which they are made, orthopedic supports are not suitable for use by most athletes.
Thus, it is an object of the present invention to provide a weight-bearing insole support system made from a resilient and semi-rigid material that will provide more support than the soft foam insole yet be more comfortable and have more flexibility than the hard plastic orthopedic supports. It is also an object to provide an insole having raised configurations which support all three arches in the human foot, and a recessed configuration which provides a deep cup for heel support. It is another object herein to disclose plural insole designs which share common features, while providing varying degrees of medial arch support which are well suited to accommodate the majority of foot arch voids. Lastly, since the insole system described herein is made from a resilient yet semi-rigid material, controlled movement of the subtalar joint is allowed and balanced shock-absorption for the entire foot is provided.